Hi it's me, I mean you - in the future. Remember writing to old you when you were a kid?  Unfortunately it was advice about being a parent and well we didn't go that route.  We were the generation that slapped the little round bandaids on our nipples instead of wearing bras, went off to college, and got the jobs that traditionally belonged to men, getting married just as the ol' eggs started to dry up and turn to dust.

 I've got some advice for you, while you can still make some changes. First, I have to warn you about that sense of humor.  It's our saving grace and our worst enemy. It really isn't helpful in making decisions.  For instance soon enough you'll learn that S is funny because she's out of her mind.  You'll learn to choose friends by other criteria than just for their amusement level.  

I remember job hunting that year.  You almost got that one job, until the guy asked your age.  He said to "come back next year.  I don't hire 17 year olds. They're all crazy." You and S went job hunting up on Lincoln Avenue.  She didn't get hired that day either.  Walking together past Dinkle's Bakery you were telling her what the guy said to you when you noticed that S was no longer at at your side.  You took off the Derby and scratched the wild smashed curls at the top of your head and looked back along the sidewalk.  There was a construction crew in the street, a few shoppers near Wiebolt's and across the street more shoppers at the door of the Woolworth's 5 and 10 shop, but no sign of S.   A second later she bolted out of the bakery screaming "run" as she blew past you.  She was carrying a fully decorated birthday cake, or at least it was fully decorated until the little plastic shit bounced on the sidewalk in her wake.  The baker ran out of the shop wearing his little white paper hat over his red face. His calls alerted the construction guys who began chasing S down the street.  You didn't stick aroud to see the end of this little adventure. You saw the bus and made your escape.  You can always step off the carousel and your wisest moves are always to do so. 

 You can keep laughing, long after you leave the ride.  Just remember not to choose the funniest option. Wearing round bandaids instead of a bra? The five-month marriage?  Really?  The push-button car?  They didn't give you a backseat full of clowns with it. Graduating early from high school just to go work for the post office?  Sure, it gave you some funny stories, but you had a teacher open her home to you.  You could have taken the offer to live with her family, finish your senior year and go directly to college instead of taking off a year.  

Sure, life is a fun adventure, but you could benefit by taking a serious tone at appropriate times.  Hold onto the humor for the more trying times like the year of the fire, flood and drunk driver that smashes into the side of your house.  That's when your sense of humor is a treasure.  When you know enough to segment your stories so your friends hear only one crises and aren't overwhelmed by all three until calm returs.  Only someone with our sense of humor can balance that load.

Love,

Me